St. Augustine Grass `6-72-130-`

ABSTRACT

A perennial St. Augustine grass with purple anthers and purple stigmas having good turf performance, good cold tolerance, short internodes and leaves and good resistance to gray leaf spot.

BACKGROUND

A St. Augustine grass which has been named "Seville" was disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,097, which issued on Sept. 6, 1977. Another St. Augustine grass which has been named "Delmar" was disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 893,960, filed Aug. 7, 1986. A further St. Augustine grass designated 6-72-182 is disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 07/185,523, filed of even date herewith.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial St. Augustine grass selected from the progeny of a controlled pollination of a plant originating in Florida with the pollen of a cold tolerant selection obtained from Memphis, Tenn. This purple anther, purple stigma genotype was labeled 6-72-130 and propagated vegetatively by stolons to provide planting stock for studying performance and making comparisons to present commercial varieties.

The combination of purple stigma, purple anthers, short internode length, short leaf blade length, good cold tolerance, a high tendency for purple stems, and good resistance to gray leaf spot of 6-72-130 along with other information allow this genotype to be distinguished from other St. Augustine grasses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a photograph of 6-72-130 St. Augustine turf;

FIG. 2 shows a single spike of a 6-72-130 St. Augustine grass plant depicting purple anthers and purple stigmas protruding from several spikelets; and

FIG. 3 is a photograph of a vegetative stolon of 6-72-130 St. Augustine grass.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Genotype 6-72-130 has a purple anther color, a purple stigma color, and an unreduced chromosome number of 18. The internodes are shorter and flatter than most St. Augustine varieties. Leaf blade measurements show that 6-72-130 generally has a shorter and narrower leaf blade than most varieties. From the standpoint of judging turf performance, the combination of shorter internodes, narrower leaf blades and shorter leaf blades results in a turf that is generally more dense, finer textured and produces fewer clippings. Measurements of the spike and related structures indicate that 6-72-130 has a shorter and narrower spike, a shorter and narrower peduncle, an average length but narrower flag leaf and a shorter flag leaf sheath than other St. Augustine grasses. The chromosome numbers, anther and stigma color and morphological measurements of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustine grasses are compared in Tables 1-4.

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                         Chromosome numbers, anther color, and stigma color of 6-72-130                 and other St. Augustine grasses.                                                             Chromosome   Anther   Stigma                                     Selection/Variety                                                                            Number       Color    Color                                      ______________________________________                                         6-72-130      18           Purple   Purple                                     6-72-182      18           Yellow   White                                      Bitterblue    27           Yellow   Purple                                     Delmar        18           Yellow   White                                      Floratam      27           Yellow   Purple                                     Floratine     27           Yellow   Purple                                     Raleigh       18           Yellow   White                                      Seville       18           Yellow   Purple                                     Texas Common  18           Yellow   White                                      California Common                                                                            18           Yellow   White                                      1081          18           Purple   Purple                                     ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                         Comparative measurements of internode length and thickness of                  6-72-130 and other St. Augustine grasses.                                                   Internode.sup.(b)                                                 Selection/                                                                               No. of   Length  Diameter (mm).sup.(c)                               Variety   Nodes.sup.(a)                                                                           (cm)    Longest                                                                               Shortest                                                                              Flat.sup.(d)                          ______________________________________                                         6-72-130  5.2      5.6     2.7    1.9    1.44                                  6-72-182  --       4.8     2.8    2.2    1.32                                  Bitterblue                                                                               --       6.9     2.7    2.1    1.30                                  Delmar    4.5      5.7     3.5    2.6    1.35                                  Floratam  4.1      7.5     3.2    2.5    1.25                                  Floratine --       5.8     2.7    2.2    1.30                                  Raleigh   4.5      7.0     3.2    2.5    1.27                                  Seville   4.8      6.8     2.7    2.2    1.25                                  Texas Common                                                                             4.4      6.2     3.0    2.2    1.35                                  California                                                                               --       4.2     2.4    2.0    1.22                                  Common                                                                         1081      --       7.3     2.8    2.0    1.38                                  LSD (.05) --       1.15    0.24   0.27   0.091                                 ______________________________________                                          .sup.(a) Number of nodes per six inch stolon at Cleveland, Texas.              .sup.(b) Greenhouse planting at Marysville, Ohio. Measurements taken on        unclipped potted plants using third internode from terminal end of stolon      .sup.(c) Diameter measurements taken at the approximate center of the          internode which has an elliptical shaped cross section.                        .sup.(d) Flatness index equals longest axis divided by shortest axis. A        larger flatness index indicates a flatter shaped stem.                   

                  TABLE 3                                                          ______________________________________                                         Comparative Leaf Blade Length, Width and Sheath Length of                      6-72-130 and other St. Augustine grasses.                                              Blade Length (cm)                                                                             Blade    Sheath                                                      Ohio.sup.(b)                                                                             Width.sup.(c)                                                                           Length.sup.(c)                                 Selection/         High.sup.(c)                                                                           Low.sup.(d)                                                                          (cm)   (cm)                                   Variety   Texas.sup.(a)                                                                           Light   Light Ohio.sup.(b)                                                                          Ohio.sup.(b)                           ______________________________________                                         6-72-130  2.2      5.2     14.8  1.3    2.7                                    6-72-182  --       5.3     13.7  1.5    2.3                                    Delmar    3.0      7.3     16.7  1.8    3.3                                    Bitterblue                                                                               --       7.4     17.5  1.5    2.8                                    Floratam  6.6      10.1    27.2  1.7    4.5                                    Floratine --       8.6     16.3  1.4    3.2                                    Raleigh   3.9      7.8     13.8  1.7    3.7                                    Seville   2.9      6.9     18.4  1.4    2.9                                    Texas Common                                                                             2.7      8.1     16.6  1.7    3.6                                    California                                                                               --       3.8     11.8  1.2    2.2                                    Common                                                                         1081      --       7.8     15.2  1.5    3.2                                    LSD (.05) .77      2.03    3.25  0.17   0.71                                   ______________________________________                                          .sup.(a) Field Planting  Cleveland, Texas.                                     .sup.(b) Greenhouse Planting  Marysville, Ohio. Measurements taken on          unclipped potted plants.                                                       .sup.(c) After a period of natural sunlight and a high level supplemental      light.                                                                         .sup.(d) After a lengthy period of very cloudy conditions and no               supplemental light.                                                      

                  TABLE 4                                                          ______________________________________                                         Comparative measurements of the inflorescence and related                      structures of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustine grasses.sup.(a).                ______________________________________                                                   Spike            Peduncle                                                        Length  Width      Length                                                                               Width                                     Selection/Variety                                                                          (mm)    (mm)       (mm)  (mm)                                      ______________________________________                                         6-72-130    56      4.8        41    1.7                                       6-72-182    60      4.3        52    1.6                                       Delmar      93      5.3        68    2.1                                       Bitterblue  78      5.6        61    2.2                                       Floratam    96      5.9        83    2.4                                       Floratine   74      5.8        48    2.3                                       Raleigh     72      5.8        62    2.2                                       Seville     71      4.9        50    1.9                                       Texas Common                                                                               68      4.9        42    1.9                                       1081        78      5.2        60    1.9                                       LSD (.05)   10.0    .64        18.3  0.28                                      ______________________________________                                                  Flag Leaf        Flag Leaf Sheath                                                Length     Width   Length                                           Selection/Variety                                                                         (mm)       (mm)    (mm)                                             ______________________________________                                         6-72-130   30         5.9     31                                               6-72-182   16         6.0     30                                               Delmar     21         6.7     46                                               Bitterblue 22         6.4     44                                               Floratam   35         6.3     46                                               Floratine  27         7.2     39                                               Raleigh    25         7.5     42                                               Seville    15         5.8     38                                               Texas Common                                                                              29         7.1     39                                               1081       25         6.3     39                                               LSD (.05)  12.4       1.08    6.7                                              ______________________________________                                          .sup.(a) Greenhouse planting Marysville, Ohio.                           

Field observations of 6-72-130 indicate that it has generally good turf quality characteristics throughout the year and across the area of the United States where St. Augustine grass is adapted. It performs especially well in the climate of southern California. Although it performs best during the hotter summer months, it has good cold tolerance and performs well during the winter months. These characteristics of 6-72-130 as compared with other St. Augustine grasses are illustrated in Tables 5-7.

                  TABLE 5                                                          ______________________________________                                         Comparative turf quality.sup.(a) of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustine           grasses at various locations in the U.S.                                                Turf Quality                                                                   Florida.sup.(b)                                                                           Win-         Cali-                                         Selection/Variety                                                                         Summer   ter    Mean  fornia.sup.(c)                                                                        Texas.sup.(d)                          ______________________________________                                         6-72-130   8.2      7.6    7.8   7.9    7.0                                    6-72-182   9.3      8.3    8.7   --     --                                     Bitterblue 7.3      5.9    6.0   --     --                                     Calif. Common                                                                             --       --     --    6.7    --                                     Delmar     9.8      9.0    9.6   5.9    7.0                                    Floratam   7.5      5.8    6.1   --     6.3                                    Floratine  7.2      6.1    6.4   --     --                                     Florida Common                                                                            8.2      6.6    7.0   --     --                                     Raleigh    6.7      7.1    7.4   --     6.3                                    Seville    9.0      7.9    8.1   6.8    6.3                                    Texas Common                                                                              6.5      8.4    8.0   4.6    8.3                                    1081       8.7      6.8    7.3   --     --                                     LSD (.05)   0.45     0.99   0.88        1.7                                    ______________________________________                                          .sup.(a) Quality  rated 1-10, 10 = best.                                       .sup.(b) Test planted at Apopka, Florida                                       .sup.(c) Test planted at Somas, California                                     .sup.(d) Test planted at Cleveland, Texas                                

                  TABLE 6                                                          ______________________________________                                         Comparative turf quality.sup.(a) of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustine           grass varieties at the South Coast Field Station of the University             of California - Riverside.                                                                Turf Quality                                                        Selection/Variety                                                                           Summer      Winter  Mean                                          ______________________________________                                         6-72-130     6.6         4.6     5.4                                           6-72-182     5.8         4.5     5.0                                           Calif. Common                                                                               5.4         4.2     4.7                                           Delmar       5.3         4.7     4.9                                           Floratam     5.4         4.1     4.6                                           Raleigh      4.6         3.3     3.9                                           Texas Common 5.5         4.3     4.8                                           LSD (.05)    0.50        0.44    0.39                                          ______________________________________                                          .sup.(a) Qualityrated 1-10, 10 = best.                                   

                  TABLE 7                                                          ______________________________________                                         Comparative cold injury of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustine                    grasses in Apopka, Florida.                                                             Cold Injury (%)                                                       Selection/Variety                                                                         Expt. 1 Expt. 2  Expt. 3                                                                              Expt. 4                                                                               Mean                                  ______________________________________                                         6-72-130   35      17       38    18     27                                    6-72-182   21      5        35    28     22                                    Bitterblue 53      38       58    34     46                                    Delmar     0       0        17    3      5                                     Floratam   40      42       55    40     44                                    Floratine  48      32       37    26     36                                    Raleigh    32      12       37    24     28                                    Seville    35      15       37    24     28                                    Texas Common                                                                              18      7        33    28     21                                    1081       47      33       48    33     40                                    LSD (.05)  20.9    18.5     26.1  23.5   16.5                                  ______________________________________                                    

Color of turf is an important component of turf quality. 6-72-130 has a pleasant medium green color comparable to many other St. Augustine grasses. Other factors that have shown varietal differences include: tendency to turn brown during the winter, for which 6-72-130 is rated about average; susceptibility to Asulox (an important herbicide) to which 6-72-130 is not susceptible; tendency to have a flush of seedheads in the spring, for which 6-72-130 has a lower tendency than other varieties; purple stem color, especially during cold weather, for which 6-72-130 has a higher than average tendency; susceptibility to gray leaf spot to which 6-72-130 has good resistance; and susceptibility to chinch bugs to which 6-72-130 has shown no greater susceptibility than most other varieties. Data on turf color, winter browning, Asulox injury, seedheads, purple stems, gray leaf spot and chinch bugs are illustrated in Tables 8-12.

                  TABLE 8                                                          ______________________________________                                         Comparative color ratings of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustine                  grasses at various locations in the U.S.                                                Color.sup.(a)                                                                  Florida.sup.(b)                                                                             California                                               Selection/Variety                                                                         Summer    Mean     Scfs.sup.(c)                                                                          Somas.sup.(d)                             ______________________________________                                         6-72-130   8.6       7.7      3.8    8.4                                       6-72-182   9.8       8.5      3.9    --                                        Bitterblue 8.5       7.6      --     --                                        Calif. Common                                                                             --        --       3.8    8.4                                       Delmar     10.0      8.9      4.6    8.2                                       Floratam   8.8       7.8      4.2    --                                        Floratine  8.0       7.5      --     --                                        Florida Common                                                                            8.3       7.9      --     --                                        Raleigh    7.0       6.5      3.4    --                                        Seville    9.2       8.5      --     7.2                                       Texas Common                                                                              6.8       7.9      4.0    6.3                                       1081       8.8       8.0      --     --                                        LSD (.05)   0.48      0.67     0.35                                            ______________________________________                                          .sup.(a) Color rated 1-10, 10 = darkest green.                                 .sup.(b) Test planted at Apopka, Florida.                                      .sup.(c) Test planted at South Coast Field Station, University of              California  Riverside.                                                         .sup.(d) Test planted at Somas, California.                              

                  TABLE 9                                                          ______________________________________                                         Comparative ratings of various attributes of 6-72-130 and other St.            Augustine grasses which detract from overall appearance.                       Selection/Variety                                                                          Brown.sup.(a)                                                                             Asulox.sup.(b)                                                                          Seed Heads.sup.(c)                             ______________________________________                                         6-72-130    6.3        5        7.7                                            6-72-182    5.0        0        --                                             Delmar      3.7        0        5.7                                            Bitterblue  --         12       --                                             Floratam    6.3        0        7.0                                            Floratine   --         2        --                                             Raleigh     8.3        10       3.0                                            Seville     --         3        5.7                                            Texas Common                                                                               5.7        0        5.7                                            California Common                                                                          4.0        --       --                                             1081        --         7        --                                             LSD (.05)   2.0        5.3      2.3                                            ______________________________________                                          .sup.(a) Test planted at South Coast Field Station  University of              California  Rated as % brown turf.                                             .sup.(b) Test planted at Apopka, Florida  Rated as % injury.                   .sup.(c) Test planted at Cleveland, Texas  Rated 0-9, 9 = no seedheads, 1      = many seedheads.                                                        

                  TABLE 10                                                         ______________________________________                                         Comparative evaluations of purple stem color of 6-72-130 and                   other St. Augustine grasses.                                                              Purple Stem Color.sup.(a)                                           Selection/Variety                                                                           Ohio.sup.(b)                                                                             Florida.sup.(c)                                                                         California.sup.(d)                             ______________________________________                                         6-72-130     8.3       30       4.3                                            6-72-182     4.5       3        0                                              Bitterblue   8.0       10       --                                             Cal. Common  --        --       0.7                                            Delmar       3.5       7        0.7                                            Floratam     8.3       20       2.7                                            Floratine    8.0       8        --                                             Raleigh      6.0       28       1.7                                            Seville      4.0       0        --                                             Texas Common 4.5       8        1.0                                            1081         7.5       58       --                                             LSD (.05)    1.1       15       0.9                                            ______________________________________                                          .sup.(a) Purple stem color rated 1-10, 10 = stolons are very purple, 1 =       stolons are entirely green. For Florida, visual estimation of the level o      stem purpling in percent.                                                      .sup.(b) Test planted in the greenhouse at Marysville, Ohio.                   .sup.(c) Test planted at Apopka, Florida.                                      .sup.(d) Test planted at South Coast Field Station, University of              California  Riverside.                                                   

                  TABLE 11                                                         ______________________________________                                         Comparative ratings of gray leaf spot.sup.(a) of 6-72-130 and other St.        Augustine grasses at Apopka, Florida.                                          Selection/Variety                                                              ______________________________________                                         6-72-130         1.7                                                           6-72-182         1.7                                                           Bitterblue       3.5                                                           Delmar           1.0                                                           Floratam         3.8                                                           Floratine        2.6                                                           Raleigh          0.7                                                           Seville          0.8                                                           Texas Common     2.4                                                           1081             2.2                                                           LSD (.05)        0.88                                                          ______________________________________                                          .sup.(a) Rated 1-10, 10 = most disease.                                  

                  TABLE 12                                                         ______________________________________                                         Comparative ratings of chinch bug tolerance.sup.(a) of 6-72-130 and            other St. Augustine grasses.                                                   Selection/Variety                                                                               Florida.sup.(b)                                                                         California.sup.(c)                                   ______________________________________                                         6-72-130         1.7      0.5                                                  6-72-182         3.0      --                                                   Delmar           2.0      0.0                                                  Bitterblue       5.0      --                                                   Floratam         7.0      --                                                   Floratine        2.7      --                                                   Raleigh          6.3      --                                                   Seville          5.7      0.3                                                  Texas Common     4.7      2.0                                                  California Common                                                                               --       3.0                                                  ______________________________________                                          .sup.(a) Rated 1-10, 10 = severe damage.                                       .sup.(b) Test planted in the greenhouse at Apopka, Florida.                    .sup.(c) Test planted at the South Coast Field Station, University of          California  Riverside.                                                    

What is claimed is:
 1. A St. Augustine grass, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 